The present invention relates to the joining of lined pipes, particularly lined pipes for high pressure applications.
Steel pipelines conveying certain fluids, such as mining slurries, at high pressures, are subject to high rates of corrosion and wear. For such applications, mining companies often specify flanged joints for routine maintenance or rotation of individual pipe sections to obtain uniform abrasion and wear. Lining the steel pipe with a suitable close-fit plastic liner can considerably reduce corrosion and wear, thereby increasing the operating life of the pipeline. However, a means of connecting sections of lined pipes is required that contains the fluid within the plastic liner, can be dismantled frequently and/or is designed such that it does not cause any internal obstruction in the pipe.